Letter-box



` (No Model.)

A. T. SI1\IGLAIR'E.` .LETTER BOX.

Patented Apr. 14,1891.

W//VESSES.- Mam A fr0/MN5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANNA T. SINCLAIRE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,379, dated April 14, 1891.

- Application iiled May 28, 1890. Serial No. 353,464. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANNA T. SINCLAIRE, a resident of the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented an Improved Lettenox, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein-- Figure l is a perspective View of my improved letter-box; Fig. 2, a vertical central section of the same on the line c c, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective view in detail of the vibrating chute or letter-receiver of the box. Fig. 4 is a detail central section of the upper part of the box, showing the same closed; and Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line Zo lo, Fig. 2.

This invention relates more particularly to means for conveniently depositing letters, papers, dsc., in letter-boxes without at the same time permitting the abstraction of letters already deposited; and it consists, mainly, in the combination of a vibrating chute or letterreceiver with the box proper; also in other details of improvement that are hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, the letter A represents a letter-box of suitable form and size. Its lower part contains either a draw B or a door for reaching the contents.

My main invention has reference to the upper part of the box. Here the box proper A has an opening a in front, which opening can` be closed by the bottom plate of what I term the vibrating chute or letter-receiver D. This vibrating chute or letter-receiver D is a structure (more clearly represented in Figs. 2, 3, and 4) having a bottom plate b, which is pivoted at d to the box proper A, and from which bottom plate end plates e extend, said end plates being in turn connected by a curved lip or plate f, which is adapted to swing under the top of the box, as in Fig. 4. A suitable handle g is connected or attached to the outer portion of the bottom plate b. The inner end of the shield or lip f 4is or may be connected by a perpendicular plate h with the bottom plate b, all as shown. When the letter-box is closed, (see Fig. 4,) the chute D is in such 'a position, as shown in Fig. 4, that its bottom plate b is nearly vertical, forming a lid,by which the opening o in the box proper is closed. The handle g in this position is near the upper end of the upright bottom plate b. When a letter is to be deposited, the person desiring to insert it holds the handle g, and thereby swings the chute D into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position the part of the bottom plate b which is not covered by the shield f is exposed for the reception and support of the letter. Fig. 2 shows three letters placed into said chute while the sameis open. ters into the chute in this manner, the person doing the work now swings the chute back into the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby causing the letters to drop ,into the lower hold of the box A.

A toothed swinging rack E may be placed inthe box A, as in Figs. 2 and 4, to prevent the abstraction of letters through the crevices between the chute and the top of the box A or otherwise, and as a means of additional protection the lip or shield f may be corrugated, as in Fig. 3, and, if desired, the top of the box may also be corrugated in like manner, so that when the chute is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the corrugations of the chute and box A interlock to make a close joint. These interlocking corrugations are especially useful in preventing any mail-matter, particularly postal-cards, from being caught between the edge of the bottom plate b and the back of the box A and adhering to the back of the box.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is i l. The letter-box A, combined with the swinging chute D,Which is pivoted in the opening a near the upper end of the box, said chute being formed of a bottom plate b and of the lip or shield f, said bottom plate b being so hung that part will always be Within the box and the remaining part, which is on the outer side of the box when open, will act as a lid or cover for the openingcwhen the box is completely closed, as herein shown and described.

2. The letter-box A, having front opening a, combined with the swinging chute D, that consists of a bottom plate b, and of the shield or lip f, and of the handle g, said shield or lip being without the box when open and adapted to enter the box above the opening when the same is wholly or partly closed, as herein shown and described.

Having put t-he let- IOO 3. The letter-box A, having front opening a, combined with the chute D, which is eomposed of the pivoted bottom plate b and of a shield or lip f on the outer end of the said bottom plate, said bottom plate being pivoted in the opening a and the inner part thereof forming a complete partition from wall to Wal-1 of said box Whenever the shield or lip is withdrawn from said opening a., substantially as herein shown and described.

4. The Combination of the box A and the swinging letter-receiving chute D, having front shield f, With the toothed swinging rack E, as set forth.

5. The combination of the chute D, formed of the bottom plate b, the curved lip f, the end plates e e, and the handle g, with the box A, having the opening a, said chute being so ,and the` plate b forming the bottom of said receptacle, substantially as herein shown and described.

G. The swinging chute D, having corrugated lip or shield f and lower bottom plate b, combined with the box A, having front opening a, as and for the purpose specified.

ANNA T. sINoLAIRE.

Witnesses:

HARRY M. TURK, T. F. BOURNE. 

